2018 American Political Scene

[TopHatter]

Can't say to what extent that matters. Midterms is about holding the incumbent responsible.

What did we see? a rearranging of chairs

Repubs got Judiciary, Dems got legislature

The Judiciary has nothing to do with the midterms and vice versa. The midterm was absolutely a referendum on Trump and the result was negative.

In the 15 districts described as suburban-dense, something similar happened. Republicans held all 15 before the election. In January, they will have control of just three. In the nine districts categorized as urban-suburban, Republicans will go from holding seven to holding just one.

Democrats made big gains in 12 districts held by Republicans that were won by both Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Barack Obama in 2012, flipping nine of them. In another 13 districts won by Clinton in 2016 and by Mitt Romney in 2012, Democrats flipped another 12.

Democrats also converted eight of 12 districts that Trump won in 2016 but that Obama had won in 2012. Republicans did better in the districts won by Trump in 2016 and Romney in 2012, which constituted more than half of all the competitive districts, but Democrats still managed to convert nearly a third of them.

What makes it difficult to see further is ideology seems to have taken a back seat to populism.

100 Percent Agreed, could not have said it any better myself.

What does either party stand for now a days ?

"Feather Thy Nest"

[Double Edge]

The Judiciary has nothing to do with the midterms and vice versa. The midterm was absolutely a referendum on Trump and the result was negative.

In the 15 districts described as suburban-dense, something similar happened. Republicans held all 15 before the election. In January, they will have control of just three. In the nine districts categorized as urban-suburban, Republicans will go from holding seven to holding just one.

Democrats made big gains in 12 districts held by Republicans that were won by both Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Barack Obama in 2012, flipping nine of them. In another 13 districts won by Clinton in 2016 and by Mitt Romney in 2012, Democrats flipped another 12.

Democrats also converted eight of 12 districts that Trump won in 2016 but that Obama had won in 2012. Republicans did better in the districts won by Trump in 2016 and Romney in 2012, which constituted more than half of all the competitive districts, but Democrats still managed to convert nearly a third of them.

The revolt of the suburbans. If they remember to show up two years from now then things might change.

Still feels like we're talking about a football game. The home side gained ten yards, everybody in the stands gets up and cheers.

100 Percent Agreed, could not have said it any better myself.

What comes around goes around. Philippines, Hungary, Brazil, Poland

Brazil & Philippines it about crime

The other two are about immigration

"Feather Thy Nest"

Sounds familiar. I don't quite see Americans getting into politics to become rich though. It's certainly the case in India, or to escape convictions

[TopHatter]

Sounds familiar. I don't quite see Americans getting into politics to become rich though. It's certainly the case in India, or to escape convictions

With a decent number of notable exceptions, American politicians generally get rich after they leave office. Speaking fees are especially lucrative. However the usual route for Congress-whores is lobbying

[TopHatter]

If Trump is cornered, the judges he disdains may finally bring him down

The president thinks justice only matters as it affects him. As his defenders fall away, he may find this all too painfully true

A rational president, who had just bludgeoned Brett Kavanaugh onto the supreme court, would not jeopardize the long-awaited conservative majority by picking a fight with Chief Justice John Roberts. But rationality has never been Donald Trump’s strong suit when it comes to dealing with the judiciary. [Rationality has never been Trump's strong suit EVER - TH]

According to an estimate by the Washington Post, the Trump administration has been overruled in more than 40 federal court decisions. While correlation does not imply causation, it does suggest that Trump’s constant bleats and tweets about biased judges represent an odd strategy to tilt the scales of justice.

Many phrases might describe Roberts’ 13 years as chief justice since he was appointed by George W Bush, but “hot-headed” is not among them. It presumably took dozens of provocations before he yielded to the temptation to instruct the president that with an independent judiciary, “we do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges”.

Trump’s concept of justice pivots around a simple question: 'Is it good for me or bad for me?'

Nothing better illustrates Trump’s solipsistic approach to crime and punishment than the recent revelation by the New York Times that last spring he talked about ordering the justice department to prosecute Hillary Clinton and James Comey.

As he pursued such thuggish fantasies, it is possible Trump was influenced by Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, who had imprisoned hundreds of his political foes in the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh. (That, of course, was the more benevolent version of Prince Mohammed, before he became closely associated with a bone saw.)

In the American version of such a dragnet, you might see Robert Mueller confined to a room next to Elizabeth Warren with a couple of dozen recalcitrant federal judges down the hall. Of course, the incarcerated would be residing in a Trump hotel – and the president would be billing the federal government at inflated rates for its use.

With his sneering contempt for the rule of law vying with his hatred for press freedoms, it is tempting to categorize Trump as a would-be authoritarian, albeit an inept one. [What's scariest for me is his supporters willingness to overlook, accept or even embrace his authoritarianism and that sneering contempt for the rule of law - TH] But I tend to be skeptical, even though I shudder at a full revelation of what lurks in the depths of Trump’s psyche.

Part of Trump’s disdain for judicial independence is probably rooted in his days as a New York real estate hustler under the tutelage of the notorious judge-fixer and ultimately disbarred lawyer Roy Cohn. In Cohn’s cynical world, the questions you asked about a judge were: “What do we have on him? Who can get to him? And what does he want?” The idea that a real estate case would be tried solely on its merits was as alien to Trump’s worldview as the quaint notion that creditors and contractors need to be paid in full.

Another factor is that Trump appears incapable of handling patriotic abstractions. It is why the ceremonial aspects of the presidency, like visiting Arlington Cemetery on Veteran’s Day and bearing witness to the first world war dead in France, seem so baffling to him. The best he can do on such solemn occasions is to woodenly read someone else’s words off a teleprompter as he flashes the thumbs-up sign.

Concepts like democracy, a free press, due process, an independent judiciary and the rule of law are lost on Trump. As far as his understanding goes, the constitution might just as well be carved in cuneiform characters on stone tablets.

Up to now, many of Trump’s worst impulses have been resisted by the saner members of his entourage, like the former White House counsel Donald McGahn, who told the president he had no authority to prosecute Clinton and Comey. Other aides in The Perils of Pauline melodrama that is playing on a constant loop in the White House have intervened to save the Mueller investigation.

But as Trump’s arrogance of power grows along with his political peril from the newly elected Democratic House, we may be close to the moment when no one is left with the power or the willingness to constrain a cornered president.

The final line of defense of democratic values are judges and top law enforcement officials who answer to a higher loyalty than fealty to Trump. It would be both bracing and ironic if the president were ultimately thwarted by black-robed figures whom he denounces as “Trump judges”. [It'll be a goddamn international day of joy - TH] Link
_____________

There's a day of reckoning coming for Donald Trump and his Family. The only question in my mind is, what will bring him down? The legal possibilities are endless with a moral sewage dump like him. Maybe he'll save himself the grief (and the taxpayers a LOT of money) by dying sooner rather than later. Keep scarfing down that Mickey D's there Donnie, grease is good for your arteries, trust me on this one.

[antimony]

So there isn't a whole lot to say is there about these midterms then



If that happens we'll deal with it. We've been through worse in the past : )

Eight other countries also got waivers. What are we using Iran for ? Afghanistan. Americans want that place stable isn't it.

Quite frankly the mood is we should have put our foot down when it came to Iran. China certainly did. Oil prices have since stabilised so that sentiment has dissipated. We were apprehending oil price getting into the 100s and turning down the Iranian offer for a fixed price.

The Euros aren't playing ball either. What's he going to do about that ?

I've been following Indian analysts on defense and they've been positive about Trump before he even entered office. They've been right so far. I consider Trump net positive as far as defense for India is concerned.

What exactly are the net positives as far as defense of India is concerned? Rhetoric against China or Pakistan do not count, unless there is specific policy that disadvantages Pak or China. Trump's punitive tarriffs against China do not count, as India does not gain anythng from it (and in fact suffers itself as an exporter).

On the other hand, trade and industry for India has faced a hit, especially the software and technology exports. US is not happy about the S-400 deal. India also faces a loss of face since Trump decided to not attend the Republic Day parade. One thing experts do say, India has remained somewhat unscathed because the elders in the room took charge of that relationship - McMaster, Mattis and Tillerson. Now they are mostly gone. Modi should continue to smile at and hug Trump as much as he can, but India would be foolhardy to qualify Trump as an all weather friend.

[Oracle]

What exactly are the net positives as far as defense of India is concerned? Rhetoric against China or Pakistan do not count, unless there is specific policy that disadvantages Pak or China. Trump's punitive tarriffs against China do not count, as India does not gain anythng from it (and in fact suffers itself as an exporter).

On the other hand, trade and industry for India has faced a hit, especially the software and technology exports. US is not happy about the S-400 deal. India also faces a loss of face since Trump decided to not attend the Republic Day parade. One thing experts do say, India has remained somewhat unscathed because the elders in the room took charge of that relationship - McMaster, Mattis and Tillerson. Now they are mostly gone. Modi should continue to smile at and hug Trump as much as he can, but India would be foolhardy to qualify Trump as an all weather friend.

Couldn't agree more.

I think of it this way. Trump gives India a short rope on sanctions vis-a-vis Iran & Russia, and India has to buy badly needed defense equipments in a government to government deal. Good for the armed forces, as the BJP led government though not following Congress' decades old policy-rut, ain't doing any faster.

As far as manufacturing goes, it is BJP's fault. They came with a bang, lot of promises. Companies are moving out of China to Vietnam & Indonesia, what is India doing? Nothing to attract those companies.

As far as IT industry and H1B visas are concerned, it's an old policy of whoever comes in the US administration to rake up this issue. Trump certainly has gone far beyond this, but what stopped the Indian Government to enact reforms, so that there is massive job creation in India itself.

India is a nation run by cunning, shameless hyenas. There it is, Singapore's economic policies (Modi looks upto Lee Kuan Yew), why didn't the BJP led government xerox and tailor it for India specific policies? Because they, like the Congress are power hungry. They like the Congress believe in a socialist-welfare nation. They would instead built statues, ban beef and porn, and communalise the atmosphere for political gains.

It is unwise to criticize the Trump administration because our leaders as a whole are inept, incompetent and corrupt. We should take whatever we can, in this instance the treatment meted out to China & Pak, and be happy, since we can't even do a fraction of what they are doing. And India's loss of face was not bombing Pakistan after 26/11, that date becomes a decade tomorrow, but pussyfooting on the issue, and even after a decade trying to find out ways how to punish the terrorist country. Btw, the invitation to Trump was not official, it was done using backchannels.

[tbm3fan]

LOL, I am a registered Libertarian and that is how I vote. Trump wasn't wrong, there is a reason people go to the 9th and seek out activist judges. Even during the Obama years the 9th was the most frequently reversed appellate court. This was due to the blue slip process. Since the 9th was in California then California's liberal senators controlled who got nominated. Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Alaska, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho and Montana have no voice in the selection. The Supreme Court 5 months ago upheld the president's power to determine who is permitted in and how under existing federal law. This judge completely ignored SCOTUS in order to impose his political views. Which we already knew were extreme. He previously ruled a murderer on death row could have a sex change operation at tax payers expense...

Remaking the Courts into a conservative bastion intent on defending the Constitution as written will be Trump's greatest legacy and his only real shot at MAGA. Liberals know it and hate it. The Courts are how they advance their agenda. There is not a single big issue on the Left adopted due to bi-partisan law making. Yet there are on the Right. The Left doesn't even try, why bother when such friendly courts exist. Well that back door route to law making is closing.

There you go again with the libertarian bit. Registered no less. There is a fellow on my professional forum who calls himself a Christian. I call him Mr. Christian because a true Christian doesn't have to say so with his words but by their actions. Two, his other words across the forum show he is far from being a Christian. I wonder the same about you in that you don't read as a libertarian at all especially since I don't see any on many ballots.

By the way I think the courts are running a bit of the conservative side. You say liberal, I say conservative. You say to-may-to, I say to-mah-to. Conclusion must mean they are just right.

Feinstein liberal? More like moderate being as how I am Californian. Put it all together and I do believe you need an adjustment of some kind. Seriously.

By the way this has always interested me. That is your comment of the Constitution as written. Care to explain that and give examples so one couldn't counter your incredibly narrow and restrictive view point. Would an example be that women cannot vote since that was a later Amendment and not in the Constitution as written? You did say as written, as in the original. I gather you probably don't care for resto-mod cars either.

[Double Edge]

What exactly are the net positives as far as defense of India is concerned? Rhetoric against China or Pakistan do not count, unless there is specific policy that disadvantages Pak or China. Trump's punitive tarriffs against China do not count, as India does not gain anythng from it (and in fact suffers itself as an exporter).

Rhetoric does count. Its better than no rhetoric. Anything that makes them squirm has an undeniable feel good factor for free. We don't need him to be pro-india we just need him to go hard on our adversaries. That's good enough. You can question how effective but that a different story.

He's tightened up on the Paks as well as the Chinese. THAT is a policy that disadvantages both. Punitive tariffs on China mean they are more open to to trade with India and this means reducing the trade deficit we have with China. We don't suffer nearly as much as the Chinese do.

On the other hand, trade and industry for India has faced a hit, especially the software and technology exports. US is not happy about the S-400 deal. India also faces a loss of face since Trump decided to not attend the Republic Day parade. One thing experts do say, India has remained somewhat unscathed because the elders in the room took charge of that relationship - McMaster, Mattis and Tillerson. Now they are mostly gone. Modi should continue to smile at and hug Trump as much as he can, but India would be foolhardy to qualify Trump as an all weather friend.

We have a robust relationship with the US that is independent of who is in charge there and its bipartisan. I don't see this changing any time soon.

I said net positive for defense. Trade and econ is another story. One analyst described it as an episode of the reality show with the Kardashians. Starts off everybody is laughing, then there is an argument, then fighting, then crying, as we get to the commercial break promises to make up and after the break things are on the mend. If he succeeds in reducing indian import duty on american goods i for one will celebrate.

Not happy with S-400 well, what can the US offer us ? nothing. They don't have an equivalent system. I think that one has been smoothed over already. We will have to see what the six month Iran waiver entails. When that expires we will be in the middle of elections. We have complied so far and this is as far as we can go. Are the americans going to sanction us when we're about to elect a new administration ? nah. Chabhar has Afghanistan in mind, helps not part of the problem.

Tillerson & McMaster are out, Mathis is still there. We have lobbies. We aren't compromising our interests because the americans come up with new rules and break existing agreements. If India is going to stand up to China it has to with the US as well. In fact we have a longer history of doing just that. However I don't think we will be going back to it.

I followed the indian defense analysts on Trump, they weren't anxious, most were positive. Nothing has happened to change that perception this far.

[TopHatter]

Trump at bay: failure looms as Democrats load 'subpoena cannon'

In his Florida fortress, facing a blizzard of investigations, the president acts like a man backed into a corner

There was sunshine, palm trees and the endless expanse of ocean. There was golf with Jack Nicklaus, the most successful player of all time. There was a dinner that included stone crab, oysters, jumbo shrimp and clams; turkey, beef tenderloin, lamb and salmon; Chilean sea bass, red snapper and braised short ribs.

But as Donald Trump spent Thanksgiving at his opulent Mar-a-Lago estate – or “the southern White House”, as he called it in a teleconference with the military – there was something else on the menu: self-congratulation, grievance and paranoia. The 72-year-old was being confronted by a glimpse of what life might look if the electorate forces him into early retirement. One long game of golf in the Florida sun.

Trump is approaching the midway point in his presidency and, some argue, a point of no return. The recent midterm elections left him wounded, House Democrats are said to be aiming a “subpoena cannon” at every aspect of his life and special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation appears to be nearing its endgame.

“There’s no doubt we’re entering new territory and Donald Trump is in big trouble,” said Larry Jacobs, the director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota. “The election results, no matter what he says, were devastating to him. The coalition he put together is clearly strained and he seems incapable of creating consensus.”

Just over a month ago, the landscape looked very different. Trump celebrated the confirmation of his second supreme court justice, a trade deal with Canada and Mexico, the release of an American pastor from prison in Turkey and the lowest unemployment rate for nearly half a century. He was chatting regularly to the media and had rapper Kanye West over to join in the fun. Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, confidently predicted to the Guardian: “Unless something terrible happens to the economy, he’ll be re-elected.”

But on 6 November, the American people delivered a reality check. Republicans held the Senate but as the final House results trickle in, Democrats lead by more than 8.6m votes: 53.1% to 45.2%. The party has a net gain of nearly 40 seats, its biggest sweep since Watergate. Ominously, they won in rust belt states that were pivotal to Trump’s victory in 2016.

In response, the president has been acting like a man cornered. The catalogue is too long to list in full but here are some of the lowlights:

• Trump fired Jeff Sessions and hired Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general, in what many see as a threat to the special counsel.
• He tried to ban a CNN correspondent from the White House but lost in court.
• He skipped a visit to a military cemetery in France.
• He criticised the admiral who oversaw the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
• He floated bizarre theories for the wildfires in California, twice referred to the destroyed city of Paradise as “Pleasure” and revelled in ignorance of climate change.
• He referred to the Democrat Adam Schiff as “Adam Schitt”.
• He issued a bewildering statement (633 words with eight exclamation marks) questioning the CIA’s reported conclusion that Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman was responsible for the death of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
• His daughter Ivanka was caught using a personal email account for government business.
• He scolded the ninth circuit court of appeals, earning a rare rebuke from the chief justice of the supreme court.
• It was reported that he wanted the justice department to prosecute Hillary Clinton and former FBI director James Comey.
• He authorised troops on the US-Mexico border to use “lethal force”, despite concerns their presence is a political stunt.
• And another thing: the stock market tanked, raising fears of economic slowdown.

It all became so much that on Wednesday, Michael Steele, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, tweeted that Trump should “just shut the hell up and get on the helicopter. Give us a rest from your crazy. You don’t know the 9th circuit from a circuit breaker. It’s Thanksgiving for crying out loud. Let us be thankful for your silence. You’ve said enough this week.” [Presumably Steele has also "surrendered to the Left" - TH]

‘There is no learning curve’
Trump’s inability to stay silent suggests he has learned nothing from his election drubbing. Other presidents have suffered similar fates in the midterms, only to bounce back and win re-election. But they have done so by making changes and showing humility; when Trump was asked by Fox News to rank himself in the pantheon of great presidents, he awarded himself an A+; when he was asked by a reporter what he was grateful for on Thanksgiving, he talked about himself.

Jacobs said: “Disaster has hit the Republican party and everyone but Trump recognises that. When Ronald Reagan got hammered in 1982, there was a major repositioning and he won in a landslide in 1984. When Bill Clinton, George W Bush and Barack Obama got hammered in the midterms, there were course corrections. There is no learning curve with Donald Trump. He has shown he is unable to respond to this reality.”

The situation is only likely to darken, Jacobs predicted. “Obviously with the investigations starting soon in the House, Trump and Republicans will be able to tarnish Democrats as obstructionist, but if Democrats manage to reveal corruption, it’s going to damage Trump’s claim to drain to swamp. He’s going to look swampy.

“This is an entirely different scenario heading into 2019: the analogy is trench warfare in world war one. The bigger problem across the country is there are not enough Republicans and clearly Trump is motivating young people and independents in ways we have not seen before. He is very good at mobilising the base but the Republican base is not enough to save him in the presidential election.”

Although Trump seems to have conquered the Republican party, Jacobs believes its members will read the runes, especially the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, noted for his ruthlessness. Jeff Flake, the retiring senator from Arizona, has called for Trump to face a primary challenge.

If Trump lets the media and Democrats draw him into a negative constant fight over trivia, the election will be close

Jacobs said: “I see it getting worse on all these fronts in 2020. Is it inconceivable that [outgoing United Nations ambassador] Nikki Haley would explore a run? I think the conversation is going to move in that direction.”

It has long been speculated that Trump has something to hide: his tax returns, his business dealings, his peculiar devotion to autocrats. Now all are about to be put under the microscope by Schiff and others.

There are also signs that Mueller’s investigation could be reaching a critical phase, with Trump having submitted written answers and reports that a fresh set of indictments centred around WikiLeaks and Roger Stone is imminent. Just because Trump is paranoid doesn’t mean that they aren’t out to get him.

Rick Tyler, a political analyst and Republican consultant, said: “Donald Trump seems like he’s worried about two things. First, he’s clearly worried about the Mueller report. If it was purely a question of ego and whether Russia helped him get elected, this is an overreaction. There’s something else going on.

“Second, if you analyse Saudi Arabia and the Khashoggi incident, what Trump says makes no sense. Saudi Arabia is not going to cancel contracts and only has a negligible impact on the cost of oil and gas. Yet Trump promoted the awful cover story. He’s hiding something. There’s something there. He’s not protecting the crown prince; he’s protecting himself.”

‘He has real talents’
According to Gallup, Trump is the only president in the modern era whose job approval ratings have never been above 50%. Tyler said. “Say what you like about Donald Trump, he has real talents. But he has misused those talents. He could have struck a deal on a big infrastructure package, for example. But he retreated to his base, which only has the potential of shrinking. He keeps the base together by keeping them angry and humans can only stay angry for so long.”

Trump’s staunchest supporters are unmoved. Gingrich said via email: “Reagan was at 35% approval in January 1983. If President Trump goes to a base-broadening strategy, leaving the Democrats to flounder in negativity and fantasy policy ideas, he will win handily. If Trump lets the media and Democrats draw him into a negative constant fight over trivia, the election will be close.”

Sebastian Gorka, a Fox News analyst and former deputy assistant to Trump, described claims that the president is in a downward spiral as “wishful thinking” and predicted victory in 2020. “Cake walk,” he wrote in a series of text messages. “With liars and loonies like Schiff and Crazy Maxine [Waters] running committees?? Even Dem voters will be driven crazy.”

Perhaps. But Democrats are spoiling for a fight. Kurt Bardella, a political columnist and former congressional spokesman, said: “We’re going to see for the first time in his presidency some substantive pushback from Congress. Democrats will no longer be passively commentating; they will be able to take tangible steps to find out what’s going on in this administration.

“Starting in January, Congress has the tools and mechanisms to push more and do more than be outraged. They can hold hearings, get documents, compel testimony. They can get access to the people around the White House and see what they think is going on: are people raising the alarm?

“I don’t think Trump fully understands how comprehensive the tools of oversight are for Congress because he’s never had to deal with it. These tentacles go far deeper and far broader than he can know. We’re going to see an entirely different level of paranoia with the president testing the limits of executive power unlike any president before as the walls close in.” Link
______________
Exactly what I've been saying all along: Trump stepped out his sheltered world in NYC and into a realm of oversight and consequences that he could not possibly imagine. Even now it's doubtful that he's aware of the shit-storm that's about to fall on him and his borgata. His lawyers know though, only too well. The levels and intensity of obstruction of justice are about a month away from skyrocketing past their already-egregious state.

[Bigfella]

I don’t think Trump fully understands how comprehensive the tools of oversight are for Congress because he’s never had to deal with it. These tentacles go far deeper and far broader than he can know.

I suppose he could ask Hilary. She would know. Of course, all those came up with three fifths of FA. I suspect that a similar level of scrutiny applied to Donald would produce much, much more of interest.

As a side note, have we worked out which one of Don Jr. and Ivanka is Uday & which is Qusay?

[Albany Rifles]

As the Democrats are getting ready to take over the levers of the House, the White House Counsel;s office is understaffed.

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/...ocrats-1010121

Note the comment regarding the lame duck period. Can this White House not do anything controversial between now and 21 JAN? I doubt it.

[antimony]

Rhetoric does count. Its better than no rhetoric. Anything that makes them squirm has an undeniable feel good factor for free. We don't need him to be pro-india we just need him to go hard on our adversaries. That's good enough. You can question how effective but that a different story.

Rhetoric counts? Then we in the US are in quite a bit of pickle. The conservative analysts here keep saying that we should be looking at actions, not rhetoric.

Feel good factor for whom? Who is squirming? If it is Joe Public on either side of the border, that is useless. If it is the politicians, generals, and diplomats, then we are talking. What has happened so far? We now have an Army loyalost in power who is doing a twitter war with Trump. I am guessing that is what is exciting the Indian defence analysts?

He's tightened up on the Paks as well as the Chinese. THAT is a policy that disadvantages both. Punitive tariffs on China mean they are more open to trade with India and this means reducing the trade deficit we have with China. We don't suffer nearly as much as the Chinese do.

You thnk India would be immune to that? Are you aware that he has called India "Tarriff King" ?

https://www.news18.com/news/india/ta...p-1895113.html

We have a robust relationship with the US that is independent of who is in charge there and its bipartisan. I don't see this changing any time soon.

I said net positive for defense. Trade and econ is another story. One analyst described it as an episode of the reality show with the Kardashians. Starts off everybody is laughing, then there is an argument, then fighting, then crying, as we get to the commercial break promises to make up and after the break things are on the mend. If he succeeds in reducing indian import duty on american goods i for one will celebrate.

Not happy with S-400 well, what can the US offer us ? nothing. They don't have an equivalent system. I think that one has been smoothed over already. We will have to see what the six month Iran waiver entails. When that expires we will be in the middle of elections. We have complied so far and this is as far as we can go. Are the americans going to sanction us when we're about to elect a new administration ? nah. Chabhar has Afghanistan in mind, helps not part of the problem.

Tillerson & McMaster are out, Mathis is still there. We have lobbies. We aren't compromising our interests because the americans come up with new rules and break existing agreements. If India is going to stand up to China it has to with the US as well. In fact we have a longer history of doing just that. However I don't think we will be going back to it.

I followed the indian defense analysts on Trump, they weren't anxious, most were positive. Nothing has happened to change that perception this far.

We are going to be ok as long as we are willing to play second fiddle in the relationship, which for the moment we are. India is in a unique position to take advantage of Trump. Finally, India's politicians have found someone just like them - corrupt to the bone, huge sense of entitlement, prickly ego, and a thin skin to boot. India should continue to press this advantage by promoting his businesses, passing him kickbacks and compliments and generally patronising him in whatever way possible

[GVChamp]

There you go again with the libertarian bit. Registered no less. There is a fellow on my professional forum who calls himself a Christian. I call him Mr. Christian because a true Christian doesn't have to say so with his words but by their actions. Two, his other words across the forum show he is far from being a Christian. I wonder the same about you in that you don't read as a libertarian at all especially since I don't see any on many ballots.

By the way I think the courts are running a bit of the conservative side. You say liberal, I say conservative. You say to-may-to, I say to-mah-to. Conclusion must mean they are just right.

Feinstein liberal? More like moderate being as how I am Californian. Put it all together and I do believe you need an adjustment of some kind. Seriously.

By the way this has always interested me. That is your comment of the Constitution as written. Care to explain that and give examples so one couldn't counter your incredibly narrow and restrictive view point. Would an example be that women cannot vote since that was a later Amendment and not in the Constitution as written? You did say as written, as in the original. I gather you probably don't care for resto-mod cars either.

"Libertarian" in the US typically involves Constitutional textualism, rather than iron-clad strict constructionism. Zraver definitely strikes me as that variety, though I'm not sure how apparent that is to non right-wingers.
The intention is not to keep the Constitution as written in 1783, since we have an amendment mechanism. The intention is to interpret the Constitution as it was written by the people who wrote it. In the case of women voting, women have the right to vote since that is in the 19th Amendment. If there were no 19th Amendment, and the Supreme Court decided that women have the right to vote because it is Current Year, that'd be bad law. It doesn't matter that we have "evolved as a society" or whatever, the states would have the right to restrict suffrage based on sex.

The people who object to activist courts online are the people who would say "of course Alabama can prevent women from voting" in the absence of the 19th amendment. What they are going to object to depends on what the case is. For instance, the guy fined for refusing the bake the gay wedding cake is a violation of libertarian principles, but it isn't necessarily a violation of legal principles, because the relevant laws are Colorado laws. Conservatives interested in protecting this have to pass Religious Freedom Acts or whatever they are called, because there is no legal principle that automatically gives you the right to refuse service.

[TopHatter]

As the Democrats are getting ready to take over the levers of the House, the White House Counsel;s office is understaffed.

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/...ocrats-1010121

Note the comment regarding the lame duck period. Can this White House not do anything controversial between now and 21 JAN? I doubt it.

Considering what a dumpster fire of kleptocrats, idiots and rank amateurs this Administration has consistently shown itself to be (with small handful of exceptions, who are nearly all gone or will be soon), I'd say the Trump Familia is about to get a swift kick in the nuts. All by himself Donald Trump is a potential Disneyland for anybody with the authority (check), motivation (double check) and resources (triple check) to investigate him.

I've stocked up on popcorn and January can't come soon enough.

[Double Edge]

Rhetoric counts? Then we in the US are in quite a bit of pickle. The conservative analysts here keep saying that we should be looking at actions, not rhetoric.

Listened to your VP recently ?

A senior intelligence official tells Pence that what Russia is doing in the US or to the US pales in comparison to what China is doing.

That's all i need to know, this speech vindicates what my guys tells me about this administration and what it means for India

This is a speech with a pointed statement of intent at China, all Trump, delivered by his deputy but is no less dilute. Foreign observers won't ignore it

Feel good factor for whom? Who is squirming? If it is Joe Public on either side of the border, that is useless. If it is the politicians, generals, and diplomats, then we are talking. What has happened so far? We now have an Army loyalost in power who is doing a twitter war with Trump. I am guessing that is what is exciting the Indian defence analysts?

Who are you referring to here ?

You thnk India would be immune to that? Are you aware that he has called India "Tarriff King" ?

https://www.news18.com/news/india/ta...p-1895113.html

Why should i pay close to twice you do for the same product that is made in the US ?

We are going to be ok as long as we are willing to play second fiddle in the relationship, which for the moment we are. India is in a unique position to take advantage of Trump. Finally, India's politicians have found someone just like them - corrupt to the bone, huge sense of entitlement, prickly ego, and a thin skin to boot. India should continue to press this advantage by promoting his businesses, passing him kickbacks and compliments and generally patronising him in whatever way possible

I think they are doing just that. Abe showed everyone the way. See, shouldn't the Chinese also be doing that. That isn't cleaar to me. How long this kerfuffle between China & the US will last ?

I've always thought Trump was angling for a deal with China and once he got it that everything would be completely ok. This plan doesn't benefit India. Otoh if there is a long term shift in thinking, one which reconfigures business as a result then it would be different.